How to train as a countertenor???

Question

I was wondering is it possible for me to train as a countertenor?I have never had any vocal traing at all.But I am going to sign up.Is it hard to train as one?

Answer 1

What does this question have to do with railroads???

Answer 2

It took me about 3 or 4 years of voice lessons to develop a good tenor voice, but of course I had a high voice to start.  If your speaking voice is in the lower ranges, it probably won't be physically possible to get to countertenor pitches.  

The thing you need to work at, besides breath control and the like, is to train your ear to know what it sounds like to sing well.  For example, when I sing to myself, it sounds best (to me) to keep my mouth partly closed and "keep the tones inside my head."  This sounds just great to me, but to your audience it will sound very muted and stifled, and it won't work for performance.  After a while, I had to stop singing so that it sounded good to me, and sing so that it sounded good to the audience.  Once I learned what that sounded like (in my head it wasn't as good, but I knew that it was correct anyway), I was able to project notes and sing well, and after a while it seemed much more natural to "sing out" and project.

I practiced in chorus classes and musicals at the same time as taking voice lessons, so in addition to learning how to sing I was able to practice singing with other people, learning how to harmonize, and musical theory in general.  A good way to practice this is to find a barbershop singing group in your area.  Check out the link to SPEBQSA to learn more:

http://www.spebsqsa.org/

The other thing you will need to do is work on your repertoire (list of songs you are good at singing).  The more songs you know, the easier it will be to demonstrate your voice and give better recitals.  That was hardest for me.  Learn show tunes, barbershop tunes, and your arias and solos.  I never got into opera since I don't speak Italian (or German), and that may have hurt me professionally.